Editorial: popularity pops a problem

Photo: SCANPIX

Risk behaviour study ordered by Police and Border Guard Board highlights a few issues regarding touch-points between school kids and drugs, and what affects their attitudes.

One will notice that the closer the youth came come to alcohol, tobacco or drugs, the more tolerant their approach to these. There are three other troubling conclusions to draw. Firstly: kids get their initial drug dose as a free donation. Secondly: teachers do not know what exactly to do if kids happen to take drugs. And thirdly: it is the very parents that have familiarised offspring with alcohol.

True, despite the shocking statistics, the latter does have its silver lining. Eerie as it feels that every fifth parent of a kid aged 11 to 17 has offered alcohol to the minor, the study also shows that in these same families the dangers thereof have been talked about most. Thus we may conclude that these parents, when offering the drinks, have merely intended to take the initiative themselves – as a lesson. Probably, they have felt the «connect» is inevitable and a ban no good; therefore, they opt to do the test in a secure home environment. Prophylactics, partly at least...

The other two, however – the first ever drug, and the helplessness of teachers – scream for attention. Of 8^th graders, every tenth admits to having tried drugs; among 12^th grade kids, the figure is four times higher.

Usually it’s cannabis, gotten from acquaintances, and free of charge first time. The teachers, meanwhile, assess their abilities to deal with the issue as poor. True, only six percent of class teachers see drug use as problematic; even so, close to a tenth of them has detected or suspected it is going on.

Most teachers think they are bad at doing something about it. Under a half of class teachers interviewed know that, in case of doubt a child has come to school «loaded», they have the right to tell them to open up bag or closet.

But then there’s another vital indicator, linking drugs to popularity. To explain that, let’s jump into literature. Namely: yearly, in the UK, it isn’t merely studied which books people read; it is also inquired, which books people lie about most to have read. The first indicator shows what people are interested in. The other one tells us what’s trending in society. And, talking about teenage behaviour, popularity definitely cannot be underestimated.

Thus, the drugs-popularity link matters. A third of the students polled agreed to the claim that kids who drink alcohol are popular at school. 15 percent would accept cannabis if offered by a friend while out at night. This is the trouble spot to really focus on.